All it took was one sentence written by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, on the occasion of the publication of his weekly blog post on current affairs, Wednesday August 3, to compel all the components of the New People’s Ecological Union and Social (Nupes) to clarify their position on the rise of tensions between China, the United States and Taiwan – and to reveal once again their differences in conception of French foreign policy.
The day after the trip to Taipei by the President of the United States House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, the former deputy of Bouches-du-Rhône, leader of La France insoumise (LFI), considers in his analysis that“There is only one China”the one who “seat on the Security Council” of the United Nations (UN). Jean-Luc Mélenchon believes that “Taiwan is an integral part of China”using a term defended by Beijing but refused by the Taipei authorities. “What is the meaning of Pelosi’s visit there? »he asks himself, qualifying the initiative as « provocation ».
The passage of Nancy Pelosi, decided within the framework of an Asian tour, is considered by China as support for the supporters of Taiwan independence and a reneging of the promise of the United States not to have official relations with the island.
Coming from an independence party, the current president of the Taipei authorities, Tsai Ing-wen, unlike the previous government, refuses to recognize that the island and the mainland are part of“One China”.
Julien Bayou and Olivier Faure reviews
“The Chinese will settle the problem among themselves. There is no other reasonable way out.”swept Mr. Mélenchon, who accuses the United States of wanting “open a new front”. This is a position taken for a long time by the former deputy of Bouches-du-Rhône, who said in 2021 that he refused “Cold War with China”regarding a motion for a resolution to the National Assembly in favor of Taiwan’s participation in the work of international organizations.
“Thank you Jean-Luc Mélenchon for his constant support for the one China policy”reacted the Chinese Embassy in France, Thursday evening, relaying on Twitter a passage of blog text. “We have the allies we deserve”quipped the MEP for La République en Marche Nathalie Loiseau on Twitter.
Asked about this on RTL, Friday morning, the deputy (LFI) of Bouches-du-Rhône Manuel Bompard defended the line defined by Mr. Mélenchon by noting that “international law today upholds the concept of what is called ‘one China'” – the vast majority of UN countries do not officially recognize Taiwan in their diplomacy – and that Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan has “throwing oil on the fire”. “When there is a territorial dispute of this nature, it must be settled within the country in question (…). There is enough disorder internationally not to add to it”insisted the LFI executive.
The first secretary of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faure, quickly distinguished himself from his allies within Nupes. While criticizing the initiative of Nancy Pelosi, whom he called a “debatable” on Twitterhe noted that “the will of the Taiwanese to live in a democracy is not”.
Criticism was even more intense on the side of Julien Bayou: “Mélenchon spoke of “provocation” when democratic Ukraine defended itself in the Donbass against authoritarian Russia. And speaks of “provocation” of Taiwan when… this country acts freely vis-a-vis China. A democratic country is necessarily a “provocation” for a dictatorship”considered, also on Twitterthe national secretary of Europe Ecologie-Les Verts (EELV).
In the process, the party denounced China’s military maneuvers in Taiwan. “EELV condemns China’s military intimidation and calls for de-escalation. We support the Taiwanese people, Taiwanese democracy.”is it written in a press release.
Yannick Jadot, the party’s former candidate for the Elysée, added his voice to the concert of environmental critics, assuring on Twitter, without citing his former rivalwhat “Chinese nationalism is a propaganda tool to justify barbarism”. To his eyes, “One China”it’s first “one dictatorship”.
These comments are a direct echo of the disputes about the position to adopt vis-à-vis Russia, which punctuated, on the left, the divisions during the last months of the campaign for the presidential election.